Caught Pretending
by The Purple Goddess
Summary: Kathryn's music is too loud for Chakotay to work.


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CAUGHT PRETENDING

By The Purple Goddess

Rated PG-13

Disclaimer: Paramount owns all, I am just borrowing for a minute.

My first fanfic.

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Chakotay threw his padd onto his desk and leaned back into his chair. That would make the fifth time in fifteen minutes he had tried to read it. He stared at the wall separating their quarters. He thought he could actually see it moving under the gentle but loud vibrations coming from the other side. "I will never get any work done like this!" He sighed for the fifth time today. He rose suddenly and headed for the door.

"She's got to turn that music down!" He said as he headed towards her door.

BE-BOOP

BE-BOOP

BE-BOOP

He sighed and slapped his comm badge. "Chakotay to Captain Janeway."

No response. 

"Chakotay to Captain Janeway. Kathryn, please respond."

Again, nothing.

"Computer. Location of Captain Janeway." 

"Captain Janeway is in her quarters."

Annoyance and then worry crept onto Chakotay's face as visions of her lying hurt in her quarters swept through his mind. He sighed audibly. 

"Computer, override privacy lock on Captain Janeway's quarters authorization Chakotay Beta Five Six Three Four Seven."

The door slid open and the music that Chakotay thought couldn't get any louder boomed into the corridor. He quickly stepped in, and her door hissed shut behind him. 

Almost immediately the music ended. He froze thinking she would emerge furious at his intrusion. Chakotay stood in silence until he heard a rustling coming from her bedroom. 

A new song began as he heard Kathryn…giggle? 

Did Kathryn giggle? 

Chakotay turned pale as the situation dawned on him.

OH GODS! What have I walked in on? He then heard her talking. Chakotay started backing up towards the door to make a hasty exit. 

"Dance? You want to dance with me?" She had laughter in her voice. 

Chakotay cringed and his heart sank. He turned around to make the final step that would trigger her door open.

"Commander!"

He froze. Again. She didn't sound angry, but he knew he would see anger in her eyes. He slowly turned around. 

He saw nothing.

"I'd love to! I saw you dancing with Jenny Delaney and thought you'd used up all your dances with her."

Chakotay began to smile. He knew he should back up and leave now to spare her the embarrassment, but somewhere deep inside he really wanted to stay. He began to tiptoe towards her room as she continued to talk.

"You were saving the best for last? That's very sweet Commander."

Chakotay was in her doorway now watching her sway back and forth with her imaginary partner. She was wearing a long black ballgown that he guessed she planned to wear to the party tonight on Holodeck 2. It took all of his strength not to laugh at how cute she looked.

Kathryn began talking again as she continued to dance. "I really liked what you did with the systems reports today. It was ingenious to put them all onto one padd. You should be proud of yourself Commander. Oh, call you Chakotay? Sure…and please, call me Kate. I've always liked the shortened version of my name."

"Sure thing…KATE."

She spun around faster than he'd ever seen her move.

"WHAT THE..? HOW? Computer! Stop music!" Silence covered her room as the two stared at each other. Kathryn was clearly embarrassed and Chakotay was very amused. 

He still stood in her doorway leaning against it with his arms crossed. She crossed the distance between them in what looked like one stride. She now stood in front of him and placed her hands on her hips.

Chakotay couldn't help but smile.

"Commander, I suppose you have a very good reason for being in my quarters uninvited. How did you get in here? What's so funny?"

Chakotay turned and walked back into the main room of her quarters. She followed.

"Yes, I do have a good reason. Your music was so loud that I couldn't concentrate on the reports I was reading so I tried to contact you to ask if you could turn it down." He bent down and picked up her comm badge off of her desk. "I rang your door three times and then tried your communicator. Apparently you didn't hear me." He stepped towards her and pinned the silver triangle onto her velvet dress. She didn't look at him. He could see her face was red with embarrassment. He sat against the edge of her desk and watched her stare at something very interesting on the floor as she wrung her hands together. "I got in here with my access codes. Remember, we have overriding codes for security?"  


"I'm sorry Commander. I was just…well, I was…I will turn down my music. Was there anything else? She crossed her arms and looked at him with steeled determination. She was met by another smile. "Why are you smiling?"

He stood up and walked toward her. Her arms dropped to her sides and she took a step back. 

"Computer. Resume music. Volume level five." Soft, sweet music filled the room and the voice continued it's interrupted song.

"Commander? What are you doing?"

"I just thought you'd like to dance with the real thing."

Kathryn looked up at him shocked at his bold move. He stood in front of her but was waiting for her to consent. Their eyes locked. 

"I'd love that." 

It was barely a whisper but he had heard her. He took her hand and placed it in his own. His other hand slid around to her back and pulled her into him. He felt her shudder at his touch. "Are you alright?" Kathryn looked up into his eyes. "Oh, yes. I'm fine." She raised her free arm and placed it around his shoulder. As they began to dance, her head slowly dropped down to rest on his shoulder and she closed her eyes. They swayed close together barely moving for the rest of the song. 

The song ended and they continued a dance they didn't want to end. Eventually he spoke bringing her back to reality.

"Kathryn?" He knew he should go before she regretted his coming.

"Mm?"

"I should go now." He still held her tightly in his arms, his body not conforming to what his voice was telling her. 

They stopped dancing.

"Okay." 

They still held each other.

"Do me a favor please, Kathryn?"

"Yes?"

"Don't wear this dress tonight."

She pulled back away from his arms and looked up into his eyes. She was surprised by his request.

"Don't you like it Chakotay?"

"Yes," he took a deep breath and took her hands in his, "but if you wear this dress tonight I won't be held responsible for my actions."

He flashed her a dimpled smile.

She gave him a devious crooked smile.

"Are you telling me that I'm irresistible?" 

"You are beautiful Kathryn. I'll see you later."

He dropped her hands and walked towards the door.

"You didn't answer me Commander."

He walked though her door and whispered one word.

"Yes."

She heard it.

  
  
---END---

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